George William Jackson

A Seaman with East Dudgeon Light Vessel, George died on 29th of January 1940 aged 31. 

George was born at Lowestoft on 26 August 1908, a son of Alfred and Emma Jane Jackson. He was baptised at Saint Margaret’s Church on 1 September 1908 and his family lived at 4 Maltsters Score, and this was still their home in 1911. By 1921 they were living at 100 Seago Street

On 15 April 1929 George married Gladys May Lockwood at Saint Margaret’s Church. George was a fisherman, living at 100 Seago Street, and Gladys lived at 26 Norfolk Street. In 1940 their home was at 86 Rotterdam Road.

During the Second World War George served with the Trinity House Light Vessel Service at the East Dudgeon Light Vessel.

At 9.30 a.m. on 29 January 1940 a German Heinkel aircraft attacked the vessel with machine gun fire and bombs. One of the crew, John Sanders, later reported that the vessel became awash with water and the crew were up to their wastes in water when they decided to abandon their ship. Sanders stated that they took to a small boat and rowed for the shore. When just off the coast their boat capsized and all but one man, Sanders, were drowned. The lightship was recovered and used again later in the war. 

The story of the attack on the East Dudgeon Light Vessel was the basis for a propaganda film, Men of the Lightship, made in 1940.   

George's brother in law, Fred Howard, served with the Royal Army Service Corps, and died in 1940.